The Infernal Devices Rewritten

Clockwork Prophetess - For What We Are

Part 3

Clockwork Prophetess

Chapter 1

For What We Are

"So, here I am," Cecily said as she found Evan alone in the library. "Miss Evan DeLuca."

"Call me Evan," Evan smiled, looking up from the thick volume. "And, yes, you are here, Miss Herondale. Thank you."

"Cecily, please." She said. "I wasn't able to find much on Mortmain."

Evan nodded, "That's fine, you being here is a bigger help."

Cecily nodded. "Had Will proposed to you?"

Evan looked up, startled. "No. Why would you think that?"

"The celebrations tonight..."

"Oh, Jem - Will's parabatai - and Tessa had announced their engagement and Charlotte and Henry are having a child - a boy." Evan said slightly awkwardly.

"Oh." Cecily said just as awkwardly. "Well, Evan, I thank you for writing to me. I shan't tell anyone."

"Thanks." Evan said.

After another moment, Cecily asked "What are you up to?"

"Oh, research." Evan said, slamming the book impatiently; the book had nothing. Evan frowned at it, as if she could scold it into giving her the information she needed. "It's not going as well as I'd hoped."

"Ah," A new voice drawled. Will. "You two have met. Wonderful. Cecy, time for you to go home."

Cecily gave him an incredulous look but it was Evan who answered, only half paying attention as she flipped through the next book. "Will, she just got here."

"If she doesn't leave then she won't be able to go home." Will said mildly.

"Perhaps I do not want to go home." Cecily shot back. Evan froze, realizing that she found herself in a sibling argument. A sibling fight that she accidentally started. Evan almost hit herself. "Not without you."

"I cannot go home." Will said with a scary calmness to his voice. "I have chosen this life."

"So have I." Cecily said haughtily.

"Leave." Will said mutinously. Evan lowered her eyes to the maps, wishing she could go up in a puff of smoke and disappear.

"I shan't." Cecily stuck her nose up in the air defiantly.

Will and Cecily had a staring contest until Will went up to Evan, opposite of his sister. "Nothing?" His voice was considerably kinder.

"No," Evan sighed, shifting to pull another book towards her. "I thought this one had something but nothing yet. You can't remember any of the books you had gone through?"

"No," Will frowned. "I can't even remember what part of the library I'd gotten them from."

Evan sighed. "Day one; nothing. Sixty more days to go."

"What are the two of you talking about?" Cecily demanded.

Will replied coldly before Evan could even open her mouth; "Nothing." Evan sent her an apologetic look.

"Research on Mortmain?" Cecily snapped.

Will glared at her again. Evan answered; "Uh - yeah, actually. He owns your house in Yorkshire, right?"

"Indeed." Cecily sniffed, still glaring at her brother. "He does. A family friend -"

"Who tried to murder everyone in the Institute." Will said.